Container assembly



July 9, 1963 J. c. BRENEMAN CONTAINER ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet l FiledDeo. 11, 1961 INVENTOR. JOSEPH C. BRENEMAN BY l ATTORNEYS July 9, 1963J, c. BRENEMAN 3,096,900

CONTAINER ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. ll, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l I l 52INVENTOR. 60 JOSEPH C. BRENEMAN 42 22 BYQZJ A* Y F O ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent O 3,@96300 CONTAINER ASSEMBLY Joseph C. Brenemau, Wooster,Ohio, assignor to Rubbermaid Incorporated, Wooster, Ohio, a corporationof Ohio Filed Dec. 11, 1961, Ser. No. 158,449 6 Claims. (Cl. 22u-4) Thisinvention relates to containers and in particular to a refuse containerassembly.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a container `assemblyof sturdy and durable construction.

Another object is to provide :a container which serves a dual functionof receiving and retaining refuse and providing a holding arrangementfor advertising cards.

A fur-ther object is to provide a container, the components of which areeasily formed and assembled.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a container assemblyhaving top and bottom end shells spaced by supporting panels each panelbeing arranged to intert with the end shells and adjacent panels andcooperating with an adjacent panel to form a channel adapted toslidingly receive and retain an edge of an advertising card.

Other objects inherent in the nature of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from the following description andthe drawings.

In the dr-awings:

FIG. l is a perspective View of the improved refuse container assembly;FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view taken along line 2 2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 3 3 ofFIG. 2 showing the arrangement of a supporting leg member integral withthe bottom end shell;

FIG. 4 is a perspective fragmentary enlargement of a corner portion ofthe container with parts broken away land in section;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlargement of a corner section 'of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the container assembly takenalong line 6 6 of FIG. l, illustrating the open position of the coverassembly `or top end shell and access door in phantom lines;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged top plan View of a rear corner section, with thecover assembly or top end shell removed;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional elevation taken along line 8 8of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional vieW taken along line9 9 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 10 is ran enlarged rfragmentary cross-.sectional view taken alongline 10 10 of FIG. 6.

In reference to FIGS. l 'and 2, .the container assembly 10 comprises thefollowing basic components: A top end shell or cover assembly indicatedgenerally 4at 12, a bottom end shell 14, front and back panels 16 and18, and side panels Ztl yand 22.

The container is preferably fabricated from a suitable plastic such as aplastic styrene or acrylic resin, and each of the basic components maybe thermo-formed or produced in a vacuum-forming process. Obviously,however, the components could be pressed out of metal or constructed ofany other suitable material.

The bottom end shell y14, as shown in FIGS. l and 6, is preferablyformed from a single piece of material with integral supporting legmembers 24 embossed in the bottom surface. As may be observed from FIG.2, the `supporting leg members extend diagonally toward each of thecorners from a central convexed area or sump, indicated generally at 26.Each of the supporting leg members are channel-shaped in cross section,-as may be observed from FIG. 3, in order to add rigidity to the bottomend shell and to provide a sufficiently wide surface for promotingstabil-ity of the container in an upright position. The lowermostportion of each supporting leg member is provided with drainage holes23, and a hole 30 which may serve as an yanchorage point, if desired.Any liquid matter ywhich may become entrapped inside the refusecontainer may drain `from the convexed area 26 toward the holes 28. Theupstanding sides 32 fof the bottorn end shell are arranged to taperoutwardly as they extend upwardly a predetermined distance.

The side panels Zti `and Z2 are each provided along the top edge withIan inwardly projecting lip 34 (FIGS. 7, 9 andlO) and an offset legportion 36 along the bottom edge (FIG. 4). The side edges 38, 40 of eachside panel are rounded, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 for example, for apurpose to be described later. Substantially the entire surface of eachside panel is inset a predetermined extent `as indicated at 42.

Offset portions 46 and 48 are provided in the surface of the inwardlyprojecting lip 34 of each .side panel adjacent the rounded side edges3.8i and 40, respectively, preferably offset ian amount substantiallyequal to the thickness of the material employed. The top of each sidepanel is 'greater in width than the bottom so that the assembledcontainer will have an upwardly and outwardly tapering construction.However, the extent of the taper may be varied ras desired, or the tapermay be omitted entirely.

The front and back panels 16 and 18 are each provided along the top edgewith an inwardly projecting lip 50 and an inwardly offset leg portion 52along the bottom edge. The `side edges S4 and 56 are each rounded so asto partially conform in overlying engagement to the outer periphery ofthe side panel rounded side edges 33 and 4t) and extend partially beyondin spaced parallel relation to the side panel inset surface 42 to formmarginal channels or grooves 58 and 6i), which serve to retain slidablythe edges `of advertising cards 62. The tops of the front and backpanels are also greater in width than the bottoms to provide a taperingconstruction similar to the side panels.

As shown in FIG. 4, the leg portions 52 of the .liront and back panelsare notched at their ends 64 to conform to the ends of the offset legportions 36, so that the leg portions 52 do not extend around thecorners with the rounded side edges 54 and 56.

The various components described above are lassembled so that the offsetleg portions 36 and 52 of the panels t within the upstanding sides 32 ofthe bottom end shell 14. The side panels 2i) and -22 are assembled firstyand the front and back panels are assembled so that the rounded sideedges 54 and 56 wrap around the rounded side edges 33 and 40 of the sidepanels and seat upon the top edge of bottom end shell 14, as shown inFIG. 4, for example. That portion of the inwardly projecting lip 5hwhich is adapted to be disposed above each rounded edge of the front andback panels will seat, respectively, in the'oliset portions 46, 48 ofthe side panel inwardly projecting lip 34 so -as -to fit flush with t-heremaining surface of the `side panel lip 34, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8.

'Ihe various components may be secured together in 'any `suitablemanner, depending upon the nature of the materials employe-d. Forexample, if the components are [thermo-formed from some type of plastic,then they may be heat fused together at their common junctures, such aswhere the surfaces of the offset leg portions 36 and 52 come in contactwith the ins-ide surfaces of the bottom end shell upstanding sides 32.If fabricated from metal sheetin the components may be riveted, bolted,spot welded or fastened together in any suitable and effective manner.

. 3 The final component for the refuse container assembly is the top endshell or cover assembly 12. This assembly comprises a recessed frontsurface 66, an opening 68 within the recessed Vfront surface, a gravityfunctioningaccess door 70' covering the opening, a top surface 72whichrslopes downwardly from front to back, upstanding side and backsurfaces, 74 and 76, respectively, and a flanged peripheral lip 78 whichextends outwardly and downwardly from the upstanding side and backsurfaces.

The access door 70 is secured above 4the opening 68 by a hinge 80,preferably a piano hinge, which in turn is Secured to an angledprojection 82 of the top end shell by a mounting strip 84.- -The angledprojection 82 terminates in an offset at lip S6 against which the upperportion of the access door abuts in closed position, as shown in solidline position in FG. 4. Actually the hat lip 86 is only offset withrespect to the angled projection and the remainder of the lip presents acontinuous iat abutting surface about the periphery of the opening 68so` that the access door will fit flush thereagainst when in closedposition.

The recessed front surface 66 is designed to minimize the admittanceofweather t the inside of the container when the latter is subjected torain, snow and the like, but is readily accessible to the user. The liparea S8 adjacent the bottom edge of the opening is sloped outwardly anddownwardly so as to drain water and the elements away from rather thaninto the storage area of the container. The angled marginal surface 90adjacent the lip area is in the same inclined plane as angled projection82 and terminates in a rearwardly sloping surface 92 which incombination with the lip area `83 and marginal surface 9i) forms achannel-like configuration which provides rigidity for the front surfaceof the top end shell.

The rearwardly sloping surface 92 serves to provide an anchorage areafor a formed channel support 94 which is secured thereto by any suitablemethod, and which in turn serves as a support for one side of a hinge96, preferably a piano hinge. The other side of the hinge 96 is securedto the inwardly projecting lip Sil of the front panel 16. Thisarrangement permits the top end shell or cover` assembly to be pivotallymounted to the front of the container assembly and cooperates with theanged peripheral lip 7S to cover .the top edge of the containercompletely and in a manner to give additionalstructural rigidity andstability to the entire refuse container assembly.

When it is desired to empty the refuse container as-` sembly, anindented groove (not shown) may be provided in the surface of each sidepanel 20, 22 to enable a per-j sons fingers to be inserted beneath theflanged-peripheral lip 78l for grasping and pivoting upwardly the'topendy shell to the position shown in phantom lines in FIG. 6.

Advertising matter, in the form of cards, are held iiush with the sidepanels of the refuse container assembly by the channels or grooves 58and 60. i

What is claimed'is:

l. A container assembly comprising top and bottom end shells, and pairsof opposing panels forsupporting and spacing apart said end shells, eachof said panels having an inwardly projecting lip along the top edge fortting within said top end shell and an offset leg portion along thebottom edge for fitting within said bottom end shell, one of said pairs.of opposing panels having inset surfaces, the other of said pairs ofopposing panels having integral side edges-wrapping around edge portionsof said one pair of opposing panels and cooperating with said insetsurfaces to form channels adapted to slidingly receive the side edges ofadvertising cards to retain the latter in overlying relation with saidinset surfaces.

2. A single-Walled container assembly comprising top and bottom endshells, said bottom end shell being formed with a convex sump andintegral leg members having drainage points, and pairs of opposingpanels for supporting and spacing apart said end shells, each of saidpanels adapted to intert with said end shells, one of said pairs ofopposing panels having inset surfaces, the other of saidV pairs ofopposing panels having side edges wrapping around portions of said onepair of opposing panels and cooperating with said inset surfaces to formchannels adapted to slidingly receive the side edges of advertisingcards to retain the latter in overlying relation with said insetsurfaces.

3. A single-walled thermo-formed plastic container assembly comprisingtop and bottom end shells, said bottom end shell being formed with aconvex sump and integral leg members having drainage points, and panelsfor supporting and spacing apart said end shells, each of said panelsadapted to interlit with said end shells and adjacent supporting panelsand to cooperate with an adjacent panel` each having an inwardlyprojecting at top edge and anoifset shoulder along the bottom edge, saidside panel members having rounded side edges and inset flattened 'centersurfaces, said front and back panel members having wrap-around sideedges adapted to overlap ythe side edges of said side members and partof said inset surfaces so as to form with each side panel member pairsof channels adapted to slidingly receive and'retain advertising cards,and said bottom end shell being formed with a convex sump and integralleg members having drainage points.

5. A single-Walled thermo-formed plastic container assembly comprisingtop and bottom end shells, and pairs of opposing panels for supportingand spacing apart said end shells, each of said panels having aninwardly projecting lip along the top edge for fitting Within saidV topend shell and an offset leg portion along the bottom edge forfttingwithin said bottom end shell, the' offset leg portions of one pair ofopposing panels further adapted to seat upon the edges of said bottomend shell, one of 'said pairs of opposing panels having insetV surfaces,the

i other of said pairs of opposing panels having integral side edgeswrapping around portions of said one pair oft opposing panels andcooperating with said inset surfaces to form channels adapted toslidingly receivethe side edges of advertising cards-to retain thelatter in overlying relation with said inset surfaces.

6. A single-walled, thermo-formed plastic container assembly comprisingtop and bottom end shells, said bottom end shell being formed with aconvex sump and integral leg members having Adrainage points, and pairsof opposing panels for supporting and spacing apart said end shells, oneof said pairs of panels interlitting within the other of said pairs of.panels and entirely within said end shells and having inset surfaces inspaced relation to the other of said panel pairs to form marginalchannels adapted to slidingly receive and retain the side edges ofadvertising cards.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNTED STATES PATENTS

1. A CONTAINER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING TOP AND BOTTOM END SHELLS, AND PAIRSOF OPPOSING PANELS FOR SUPPORTING AND SPACING APART SAID END SHELLS,EACH OF SAID PANELS HAVING AN INWARDLY PROJECTING LIP ALONG THE TOP EDGEFOR FITTING WITHIN SAID TOP END SHELL AND ON OFFSET LEG PORTION ALONGTHE BOTTOM EDGE FOR FITTING WITHIN SAID BOTTOM END SHELL, ONE OF SAIDPAIRS OF OPPOSING PANELS HAVING INSET SURFACES, THE OUTER OF SAID PAIRSOF OPPOSING PANELS HAVING INTEGRAL SIDE EDGES WRAPPING AROUND EDGEPORTINS OF SAID ONE PAIR OF OPPOSING PANELS AND COOPERATING WITH SAIDINSET SURFACES TO FORM CHANNELS ADAPTED TO SLIDINGLY RECEIVE THE SIDEEDGES OF ADVERTISING CARDS TO RETAIN THE LATTER IN OVERLYING RELATIONWITH SAID INSET SURFACES.